DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0000Z February 23, 2026
SMOKE: Southern United States… Smoke plumes from scattered fire activity across eastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, as well as remnant smoke from previous days, contributed to a large area of light-density smoke from the western Gulf to southwestern Alabama. Moderately thick plumes were observed in Arkansas drifting towards the southwest. Individual light-to-moderate plumes were also observed in southeastern Texas, southern Louisiana, and southern Mississippi drifting into the western Gulf. Florida Panhandle… A fire located in Bay County, Florida was observed generating a light-to-heavy density smoke plume dispersing southeast into the eastern Gulf. Southern Illinois… A fire located in Alexander County, Illinois was seen producing a light-to-moderate smoke plume drifting southeast towards western Tennessee. Southeastern Georgia… A fire located in Charlton County, Georgia was observed producing a light-to-heavy density smoke plume drifting east-southeast into the Atlantic. Honduras/Nicaragua… Scattered fire activity in eastern Honduras and northeastern Nicaragua were observed producing individual light-to-moderate smoke plumes drifting towards the southwest. Cuba… Fire activity persisted across Cuba this evening, with an area of light-density smoke drifting northeast into the Atlantic. AEROSOL/SMOKE: Mexico/Gulf of America/Pacific Ocean... Smoke from scattered fire activity and remnant smoke from previous days, as well as aerosol emissions from gas flaring and other industrial activities in central and southern Mexico and Bay of Campeche, concentrated into a layer of light-density smoke that extended across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and drifted southwest into the Pacific Ocean. BLOWING DUST: Jalisco… Earlier this afternoon, strong winds were observed lofting dust from a dry lake bed located west of Lake Chapala in Jalisco. The dust was transported west towards the Pacific from the source. GL THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF SMOKE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES AND SMOKE WHICH HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FIRES AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SOURCE FIRE, TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VIEW A GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF THESE AND OTHER PLUMES WHICH ARE LESS EXTENSIVE AND STILL ATTACHED TO THE SOURCE FIRE IN VARIOUS GRAPHIC FORMATS ON OUR WEB SITE: JPEG:http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/currenthms.jpg Smoke data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Smoke_Polygons Fire data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Fire_Points ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE SENT TO: SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov